Annunciator display

ABSTRACT

An annunciator display especially useful in aircrew stations is disclosed. The annunciator display is a single integrated panel capable of transmitting fixed and variable messages under ambient light conditions.

United States Patent 1191 Ashton et al. Jan. 1, 1974 [5 ANNUNCIATORDISPLAY 974,943 11/1910 Wood 40/130 E ux 2,230,152 1/1941 Wolfrey 40/130E [75] Inventors 9 f Glen 3,481,062 12/1969 Du Bois et al. 40/130 ERichard Dubols, Jr., No. Caldwell, both of NJ. [73] Assignee: WagnerElectric Corporation, r a y xaminerR0bert W. Michell Newark, NJ,Assistant Examiner-John F. Pitrelli All Wll' D. L 22 Filed: June 29,1972 [211 App]. No.: 267,488

52 U.S. c1. 40/130 E, 40/28 c, 40/132 D [57] ABSTRACT [51] Int. Cl. G09f13/06 [58] Field of Search 40/ 130 E, 130 K, An annunciator displayespecially useful in aircrew 40/28 C, 132 D; 340/336; 313/109.5 stationsis disclosed. The annunciator display is a single integrated panelcapable of transmitting fixed and [56] References Cited variablemessages under ambient light conditions.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,545,| 14 12/1970 Hurst et al. 40/130 E 6 Claims,7 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJAN 11914 SHEET 2 OF 2 I O wa mm 0 0 0 0 0 )DQANNUNCIATOR DISPLAY The present invention relates to a new and usefulannuciator display which combines in a single integrated panelinformation indicators for transmitting fixed, status,'and variablemessages both in dark and daylight conditions.

In annunciator displays, it is necessary to have the informationindicators meet a number of different requirementsrFixed messages mustbe readable at all times regardless of ambient light conditions. Onandoff indicators, commonly referred to as status indicators, must bereadable only when energized, but yet, when energized, they must-bereadable under all ambient light conditions. Variablemessage'indicators, which are a combination of status indicators, mustmeet the same'con'ditions as status indicators.

In attempting to develop annunciator displays in the past, numerousproblemshave arisen. The materials commonly used have poor hightemperature characteristics. Cumulative tolerances in combining'a numberof different indicators results in voids around individual indicatorswhich voids readily collect foreign matter. This detracts from theappearance of the annunciator display panel and also increasesmaintenance costs. In addition, light and electrical efficiencies areusually poor.

In accordance with the present invention, these disadvantages of theprior art devices are eliminated by fabricating thetotal panel as oneintegral unit so that there are .no inter-component voids. It isimportant where an integral unit is made that the means used toilluminate fixed message indicators does not also illuminate the statusindicators since otherwise false readings 'of the status indicatorswould result. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, blackpotting epoxy is used to separate the fixed messageindicators from thestatus indicators in order to prevent light'from the fixed messageindicators from illuminating the status indicators. The lamps to operatethe panel are preferablymounted on a separate printed circuit board.Between the printed circuit board and the face panel is a heat sink. Theheat sink has holes in it which substantially correspond to thecharacter forming areas. Electrical efficiencies are high since thelamps are mounted directly behind the character forming areas only.

These and other advantages of the present invention may be more fullyunderstood with reference to the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows an annunciator display made in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a section of FIG. 1 along line 2-2;

FIG. 3 is a section of FIG. 1 along line 33;

FIG. 4 is a section of FIG. 1 along line 4-4;

FIG. Sis a side view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of FIG. 5 along line 6-6; and

FIG. 7 shows a segment from a variable message indicator.

In FIG. 1 is shown an annunciator display for fuel indicating the numberof gallons or pounds of fuel. The blocks 10 each comprise seven separatesegments 12, 14, l6, 18, 20, 22, and 24 which can be individuallyilluminated to indicate each of the digits from one to nine in knownmanner. The set of four blocks is referred to as a variable messageindicator. The designations GAL, LBS and X10, 26, 28 and 30respectively,

are status indicators and the word FUEL 32 is a fixed message. Screwholes 34 are provided on each corner for attaching the entireannunciator assembly in its final position, such as on an aircraftinstrument panel. The entire surface 38 of the face panel is preferablycoated with a glare reducing lacquer.

In FIG. 2 is shown a section of FIG. 1 along line 2-2 showing incross-section segments 14 and 24 of block 10. The segments 14 and 24 areof transparent plastic, preferably a polycarbonate or an epoxy as willbe hereinafter explained. The segments 14 and 24 are in a colored medium40, preferably a potting epoxy which is either black or s similarly darkcolor having a wave length no greater than about 0.00045 millimeters. Inorder to improve light efficiency, sides 42 of segments 14 and 24 arepreferably silvered. A heat sink 36 of aluminum or other heat conductingmetal is affixed to the face panel. The heat sink is suitably affixed tothe face panel by the adhesive properties of the potting epoxy 40. Thepotting epoxy in its uncured state is brought into contact with the heatsink and allowed to cure whereby an integral structure is formed. Othersuitable sttachment means such as adhesive, screws or the like may beused in place of or in addition to the natural adhesive properties ofthe epoxy. Projections 44 are provided on the edges of the assembly sothat the assembly can be flush mounted to an instrument panel (notshown) by means of bolts through both holes 34. Holes 46 and 48 areprovided in heat sink 36 to receive lamps 50 and 52 respectively. Theholes 46 and 48 are substantially co-extensive in size with the ends ofthe character forming segments 14 and 24. The lamps 50 and 52 aremounted on a printed circuit board 54 which is removable from heat sink36. The printed circuit board is removably mounted to the heat sink byfrictional engagement, spring clips, or other suitable means (notshown). For best results, an epoxy layer 56 covers the surface of theface panel including the segments 14 and 24. The epoxy layer wilintegrally bond with the segments l4 and 24 when the segments are madeof polycarbonate or epoxy and this gives a very strong and durablestructure. If desired, the epoxy layer may be colored so long as it isstill capable of transmitting light from the segments 14 and 24.

FIG. 3 is a cross-section through line 3-3 of FIG. 1, showing a fixedmessage. It is desired that the letters FUEL be visible whether or notthere is light behind the letters, but it is additionally desirable thatthe letters stand out if the light is activated. The letters FUEL areshown as 58 and are suitably composed of transfer indicia as disclosedin British Pat. No. 906,934. As disclosed in British Pat. No. 906,934,the transfer indicia are mounted on a cellulose acetate film andsuitably comprise carbon black, linseed oil, aluminum hydroxide, leadnaphthionate and cobalt naphthionate. The dried transfer indicia arevisible whether or not lights 60, 62, 64 and 66 are activated. Thetransfer indicia are mounted directly on a white or other contrastingtranslucent diffusing layer 68 whereby the letters are visible whetheror not the lights are activated. The diffusing layer in turn is mountedto a transparent plastic block 70 the sides of which 72 and 74 arepreferably mirrored. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, thediffusing layer and the transparent block are made of epoxy orpolycarbonate so that they are bonded together as an integral structure.Black potting epoxy 40 may be used for the edges of this part of thepanel if desired or alternatively the'edges may be of the same materialas the diffusing layer. Heat sink 36 is provided with an opening 76 forthe lights 60, 62, 64, and 66. The area of the heat sink is preferablyco-extensive with the area of the face panel behind the characterforming letters FUEL. An epoxy or polycarbonate layer 56 covers thetransfer indicia 58 and is integrally bonded to the diffusing layer 68and is preferably also integrally bonded to the epoxy block 40.

FIG. 4 is a cross-section of FIG. I through line 44. As in FIG. 3, thecharacters are displayed with transfer indicia. However, since there isno contrasting layer directly behind the indicia as was true in FIG. 3,the indicia are visible only when illuminated and are thus statusindicators. As in FIGS. 2 and 3, the holes in the heat sink forreceiving the lights are of substantially equal area to the area of thecharacter forming indicia.

FIG. 5 is an end view of FIG. 1 showing the top epoxy layer 56, the heatsink 36 and the printed circuit board 54.

FIG. 6 is a cross section of FIG. 5 showing the heat sink to be usedwith FIG. 1 according to the present invention. Holes 80, 46, 84, 86,88, 90 and 48 correspond to segments l2, l4, l6, 18, 20, 22 and 24 ofFIG. 1. The heat sink is preferably made of aluminum or some other metalcapable of diffusing the heat generated by the bulbs used for theannuciator display. The holes in the heat sink are shown as round sincethe preferred configuration of the segments of the numbers of FIG. 1 isround on one end as shown in FIG. 7 with respect to segment 14.

It will be understood that the claims are intended to cover all changesand modifications of the preferred embodiments of the invention, hereinchosen for the purpose of illustration, which do not constitutedepartures from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In an annunciator display the combination comprising s singleintegral face panel with a plurality of information indicators embeddedtherein, a diffusing layer of contrasting color with said face panel incontact with said face panel, a smooth integral surface layer coveringeach of said information indicators and being chemically bonded to theface panel, an integral heat sink affixed to said face panel said heatsink having apertures substantially co-extensive in area with the areaof each information indicator and a printed circuit board detachablyaffixed to said heat sink, said printed circuit board having means toaccept illuminating means associated with each aperture in said heatsink, said information indicators comprising at least one fixed messageindicator, at least one variable message indicator and at least onestatus indicator, said at least one fixed message indicator being in theform of characters transferred from pre-printed sheets onto saidcontrasting diffusing layer and covered by said surface layer, so thatsaid at least one fixed message indicator is readable under ambientlight conditions, said at least one status indicator being in the formof characters transferred from pre-printed sheets onto said face paneland covered by said surface so that said at least one status indicatoris readable only when illuminated, illuminating means associated withsaid at least one fixed message indicator and with said at least onestatus indicator to illuminate them and means to prevent theilluminating means associated with said at least one fixed messageindicator from illuminating said at least one status indicator.

2. The annunciator display of claim 1 wherein the face panel and thesurface layer are composed of materials selected from the groupconsisting of epoxies and polycarbonates.

3. The annunciator display of claim 1 wherein the face panel other thanthe plurality of information indicators is epoxy which is black incolor.

4. The annunciator display of claim 1 wherein the variable messageindicators are polycarbonate.

5. The annunciator display of claim 4 wherein the polycarbonate messageindicators have a reflective coating on the sides thereof.

6. The annunciator display of claim 1 wherein the heat sink comprisesaluminum.

1. In an annunciator display the combination comprising a singleintegral face panel with a plurality of information indicators embeddedtherein, a diffusing layer of contrasting color with said face panel incontact with said face panel, a smooth integral surface layer coveringeach of said information indicators and being chemically bonded to theface panel, an integral heat sink affixed to said face panel said heatsink having apertures substantially co-extensive in area with the areaof each information indicator and a printed circuit board detachablyaffixed to said heat sink, said printed circuit board having means toaccept illuminating means associated with each aperture in said heatsink, said information indicators comprising at least one fixed messageindicator, at least one variable message indicator and at least onestatus indicator, said at least one fixed message indicator being in theform of characters transferred from pre-printed sheets onto saidcontrasting diffusing layer and covered by said surface layer, so thatsaid at least one fixed message indicator is readable under ambientlight conditions, said at least one status indicator being in the formof characters transferred from pre-printed sheets onto said face paneland covered by said surface so that said at least one status indicatoris readable only when illuminated, illuminating means associated withsaid at least one fixed message indicator and with said at least onestatus indicator to illuminate them and means to prevent theilluminating means associated with said at least one fixed messageindicator from illuminating said at least one status indicator.
 2. Theannunciator display of claim 1 wherein the face panel and the surfacelayer are composed of materials selected from the group consisting ofepoxies and polycarbonates.
 3. The annunciator display of claim 1wherein the face panel other than the plurality of informationindicators is epoxy which is black in color.
 4. The annunciator displayof claim 1 wherein the variable message indicators are polycarbonate. 5.The annunciator display of claim 4 wherein the polycarbonate messageindicators have a reflective coating on the sides thereof.
 6. Theannunciator display of claim 1 wherein the heat sink comprises aluminum.